WEBVTT THE PARK AT ROCKY RIDGE APARTMENTS IN BIRMINGHAM IS APART OF A LAWSUIT FILED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN A BIRMINGHAM FEDERAL COURT THIS WEEK. THE DOJ IS SUING THE OWNER AND DEVELOPERS OF THAT COMPLEX AND OTHER MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING UNITS ALABAMA AND THREE OTHER STATES. ACCORDING TO THE LAWSUIT, THE GOVERNMENT CLAIMS THE DEFENDANTS VIOLATED THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT IN THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THEIR APARTMENTS. PATRICK HACKNEY, AN ATTORNEY FOR THE ALABAMA DISABILITIES ADVOCACY PROGRAM, TALKS ABOUT THE LAWSUIT. PATRICK HACKNEY/ADAP STAFF ATTORNEY "I THINK IT S IMPORTANT BECAUSE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES LIKE ANYBOD ELSE NEEDS ACCESS TO HOUSING AND BE ABLE TO ACCESS THEIR HOUSING AS FAR AS ACCESSIBLE RAMPS." FRED DAVENPORT/WVTM 13 NEWS THE LAWSUIT CLAIMS 36 APARTMENTS IN ALABAMA, 8 IN OUR AREA DON T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE FOR DISABLED PEOPLE TO MOVE AROUND IN KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS. IT ALSO SAY THE PROPERTIES HAVE INACCESSIBLE PARKING, NON- EXISTENT OR EXCESSIVELY SLOPED PEDESTRIAN ROUTES FROM APARTMENT UNITS TO AREAS LIKE THE DUMPSTERS PATRICK HACKNEY/ADAP STAFF ATTORNEY "IT S FRUSTRATING FOR THE CLIENTS A LOT OF TIMES TO NOT BE ABLE TO GET INTO OR ACCESS HOME OR BE ABLE TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET INTO OR ACCESS." THE D-O-J WANTS THE HOUSING UNITS OWNERS TO BECOME COMPLIANT WITH THE LAW. FRED DAVENPORT, WVTM 13 NEWS DEFENDANT ALLAN RAPPUHN OF ALABAMA TOLD WVTM 13 IN A STATEMENT: WE WERE TAKEN COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE WHEN THEY FILED THE COMPLAINT. WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT WHEN THE MEDIA STARTED CALLING US. YOU CAN READ HIS FULL STATEMENT AT WVTM 13 DOT COM.